Conservative groups to Gina McCarthy: EPA must be more transparent

The below groups and the millions of activists we represent, strongly support Senate Republican calls for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transparency.

For too long the EPA has effectively evaded oversight from Congress and the American people.

The Windsor-gate scandal that precipitated Lisa Jackson's departure was only the latest example. The agency has also refused to release the underlying data for benefit claims for rules that impose billions of dollars of economic costs, skirted FOIA requests, and evaded public participation by entering into secretly-negotiated settlement agreements with left-wing interest groups.

With the EPA now regularly making decisions that carry enormous consequences for energy consumers and the U.S. economy, we are seriously concerned that the agency continues to operate with a lack of adequate transparency.

President Obama has nominated current EPA Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy to succeed Lisa Jackson as EPA Administrator. Serving in the EPA for the past four years, Ms. McCarthy has intimate knowledge of the EPA's procedures.

Before the Senate can begin considering Ms. McCarthy as a nominee for EPA Administrator, the American people must be assured that the agency she will run will be accountable to the people affected by its policies.

To this end, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Republicans sent Ms. McCarthy a letter on April 10, 2013 requesting her to resolve five past instances of EPA obstruction or evasion (a copy of this letter can be found after the signature line).

We believe that the American people deserve answers to the five questions outlined in the April 10 letter.

We look forward to working with you to illuminate the EPA's precarious policies.

Sincerely

American Commitment
American Conservative Union
Americans for Tax Reform
Americans for Prosperity
Center for Individual Freedom
Citizens for Limited Taxation
Citizen Outreach
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Council for America
Freedom Action
Freedom Works
Frontiers of Freedom
Liberty Guard
National Center for Public Policy Research
Wyoming Liberty Group
60 Plus